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Opinion

Sarasota
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009
5 years ago

Letters to the Editor

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Compiled by the Observer Staff

+ Quit the health care jabs
Dear Editor:
As a Floridian who has some health care insurance and is better off than many others in this country, I take issue with the editor’s stance that health care reform proposals are illogical.

I am not going to debate the “nine fallacies” that were listed. There are better forums for that, and there are many more knowledgeable people who can argue about the facts and fallacies and try to remove the unfounded opinions and fear-raising from both sides of the debate.

The real issue is that reform is needed! More than 50 million people in America have no health care coverage. Many more have limited high-deductible policies that will put them in bankruptcy if a major illness should occur. And still more are paying premiums they can’t afford. And, more and more people are losing their coverage every day because businesses can no longer afford to pay or subsidize them.

Health care costs have risen five times faster than wages in the past 10 years and will consume more than 45% of household incomes for about half of Americans in the next seven years if we don’t do something about it.

We do have a crisis.

So let’s agree that major reform is necessary. Editorials and speeches that just point out negatives (many of which are unfounded opinions attempting to scare people) are not helpful.

Suggesting that a “free market” will solve the issue, as was suggested in the editorial, is another way of saying, “Let’s do nothing.” This approach has not worked to date, and there is no reason to believe it will work going forward. It is all too clear that it has not worked well for other industries recently … banks, mortgage lenders, investment firms, to name a few.

I agree that some of the ideas that have been discussed are unrealistic. And, there will not be any perfect solution. There are problems with programs such as Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, etc., but we are better off with them than without them.

If the ideas on the table have flaws, point them out and identify better solutions. But don’t just provide jabs and say “free market” or imply that we are better off now without reform. That is not based on the facts and the American peoples’ wishes.

Bob Schomp
Sarasota

The “free market” has not worked in health care because it has not been tried since LBJ intervened (Medicare). Neither healthcare, banks, mortgage lenders nor investment firms operate in a “free market.” Proof: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ($707.7 billion annual budget, 64,750 employees); FDIC, SEC, OTS, Comptroller of Currency, Federal Reserve Board, just to name a few — all of which brought us what we have today. And people think more intervention will bring improvement? — Ed.

+ It’s a total sham

Dear Editor:
Your “Nine fallacies of Obamacare” was the best article I have read on the healthcare issue.

One problem: There is nothing wrong with the health care system as it is. It’s the best in the world!
It might be a little costly, but that is a separate issue. There’s too much fraud and poor management. I know, I have been and am still connected with healthcare.

For those people who don’t have coverage, why is this everyone else’s issue?

If they had been employed and paid into the system, they would have coverage. These people have money for everything else, but their priorities are askew — cell phones, tatoos, iPods, smoking, drinking, etc.

I have never seen where the government has asked us citizens for answers. They want it their way because they have their own interests at stake.

There are millions of citizens who could help and come up with solutions. No one ever answers our plea to offer help. It’s a total sham.

Keep up the good work.

David Schwarzenbach
Sarasota

+ Unconditional support

Dear Editor:
That monumental sculpture on Sarasota’s beautiful bayfront is a stunning reminder of one of the happiest days in history: war at an end, peace at last.

“Unconditional Surrender” happily celebrates that joyous occasion. It has justly become a favorite spot to stop by and have family and friends’ pictures taken.

Astonishingly, and sadly, a tiny but vocal minority has heaped abuse on it. Indeed, we all made sacrifices to maintain our freedoms, including freedom of expression. In my view, that abuse has violated the practice of responsible dissent. It has reminded me of the actions by Nazi censorship and the communist “thought-police,” which violently attacked modern art not to their liking.

The sculpture, thanks to a generous donor, one of my fellow World War II veterans, is a gift. Our patron is not only offering to put up cash for the sculpture but more cash for its maintenance.

Let us “unconditionally” welcome “Unconditional Surrender.” Let us salute our generous patron. He is acting out of pure love and respect for Sarasota and his fellow veterans.

Let us be reminded of the biblical warning: “ … Nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet.”Douglass Montrose-Graem
DAV, Post 97
Sarasota